Once again Alice Feeney has smashed it out of the park with her twisty, disturbing and creepy fourth novel. I’ve been a huge fan of this author since her debut novel Sometimes I Lie and I understand most of her books are now being adapted for tv-although I have NO idea how they will handle this one as one of the characters has face blindness (prosopagnosia) so I will be very intrigued to see the finished production.

Rock Paper Scissors is a book it’s best to go into blind (see what I did there!) as the blurb tells you all you really need to know. Set in the Scottish Highlands, I immediately got a sense of isolation as Adam and Amelia arrive at their weekend break in a desolate, snowy and unsettling landscape with a converted chapel as their destination for…well, the reader isn’t immediately sure! Both visitors are hiding things from their other half and the lies seem to drip as easily from their lips as the expensive wines they find in the cellar. And it’s there that they discover information about the chapel that gives them goosebumps. What happens next while they are stuck in this secluded and very chilling place is a twisty, “mess with your mind” shockfest that made me gasp out loud with its brilliance…

I absolutely devoured Rock Paper Scissors with its cleverly crafted plot and have no doubt it will appear in my top books of 2021 compilation at the end of the year. Loved, loved, LOVED IT!

After thoroughly enjoying Sometimes I Lie and His & Hers both by Alice Feeney I couldn’t wait to read this newest book and what a book it is!

Very dark, creepy and full of twists and turns. It hasn’t got the fastest start but from about half way through the pace begins to build making the end unputdownable! 4.5🌟 rounded upto 5 for this review.

A great page turner kept you on your seat till the end.

Adam and Amelia`s marriage is breaking up so when Amelia wins a weekend away in a Scottish chapel they decide to go and see if it will make or break them.
The chapel is in the middle of nowhere and they are snowed in, then strange things start happening to them.

Definitely a page turner you can`t wait to find out what is happening to them, full of suspense and twists.
Would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, just what their marriage needs. Adam has a face blindness condition his whole life, where he can not recognise friends or family, or even his own wife. Each year they exchange anniversary gifts and Adams wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read…..until now! The weekend away is make or break for their relationship but they didn’t win the trip, how did the mini break away come about? Ten years of marriage and ten years of secrets, someone doesn’t want them to be happy.

Wow what can I say, so many twists and turns I really didn’t see it coming. Such an amazing read and would throughly recommend.

I picked up Rock Paper Scissors on a rainy Sunday and couldn’t stop reading. Literally. This was a one day read for me; an indication of just how addictive this psychological thriller is! It falls into the domestic noir sub-cat as it explores the secrets and lies of Adam and Amelia’s marriage.

Set in February 2020 (and in flashbacks) our lead characters are screenwriter, Adam Wright and his wife, Amelia, who works at Battersea Dogs Home. Their marriage has seen better days, so they go on what they think will be a romantic weekend by an isolated Scottish Loch. And this is where things start to unravel for them.

Adam has a rare condition – prosopagnosia, which means he can’t recognise faces. Even his wife’s. Therefore, he works much more on instinct and what’s under the surface to identify people. This is an interesting element to the story and definitely adds to the tension and potential for lies.

When the reclusive – but very successful – author, Henry Winter (I’m wondering if his name is a nod to Vida Winter, a fellow reclusive writer character in Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale) asks Adam to turn his book into a screenplay, he is so happy and his career is looking up, but what he doesn’t know is his wife’s involvement in it all…

I am a big fan of Gothic reads and there were Gothic conventions in play here that I really enjoyed. Primarily the isolated converted church Scottish setting, the sinister-side to the characters and the creepy moments that snuck up and made me shiver.

What I loved about Rock Paper Scissors is that you may think you’ve read a story like this (there are, after all, a lot of psychological thrillers out there that look at twisted marriages) BUT you won’t have read one that feels as perfectly crafted or as satisfying as this.

This is a mixture of the very clever structure, the insightful writing style that commands a speedy pace while never losing depth, the simple but effective plot that will absolutely blindside you in the very best way and characters you won’t second guess – right until the very last page.

This is my first Alice Feeney novel and it won’t be my last. I have a few of her others on my bookshelf.
Rock, paper, scissors had me gripped from the first few pages. I loved that each chapter was from different character perspectives and the addition of the anniversary letters was brilliant. The scene was set quite early on and with each page I read it was harder to put down!
The details you learn about each character I found was hugely important in understanding their motives.
There was a few twists towards the end which I did not see coming at all!
A quote I adored and will remember from this book was; ‘Isn’t love like breathing? Isn’t it human instinct? Something we are born knowing how to do? Or is it like speaking French? If nobody teaches you, you’ll never be fluent, and if you don’t practice you forget how…’
I’d recommend this book to friends and family and if you like the sound of the synopsis do not hesitate in reading.

Just brilliant! Atmospheric, creepy in parts, Alice is a master of deception and this is a masterpiece...beautifully written, and a fantastic storyline! Without doubt my best read of 2021...read this or miss out! Many thanks to Netgalley.co.uk, the publisher and Alice for the chance to read and review such an amazing book!

I read His & Hers earlier this year and loved the chilling atmosphere that Alice Feeney crafted with her narrative, so I was eager to pick up her latest book.

And just in the same way, you can feel every goosebump in Rock Paper Scissors. The dark ambience looms over these complex characters, two halves of a couple who have come to a standstill in their marriage, having taken a weekend away as a last effort to see if they can make things work.

The chapters interchange between Adam’s narrative and that of his wife’s, told through a series of unsent letters that she writes to him every year on their anniversary and titled after the traditional gift for that year. This shift in perspectives allows you to see two different sides to their marriage, as you begin to question who’s to blame for the lack of trust and whether there is any hope left.

The contrasting points of view mean that you never really know who to trust, which is what will have you devouring this book so rapidly. Both seem threatened by something as the build-up intensifies, as both Adam and Amelia appear to be at breaking point and on the verge of acting out.

As if the characters weren’t reliable enough, Adam also suffers from “Prosopagnosia”, a neurological glitch that means he cannot see distinguishing features on faces. So with Adam’s inability to recognise strangers from family, you really don’t know who to believe. Set that in an isolated and seemingly haunted chapel, and Rock Paper Scissors is sure to make your heart rate quicken.

Unfortunately, I ruined this one for myself a little as I stopped myself at the beginning to come up with a far-out prediction, and managed to guess some of what was to come. So although that was my own fault for trying too hard to guess what would be a good twist, that did weaken my experience of reading this one slightly.

Still, I love Feeney’s writing and character development. And of course, there was a lot that I didn’t see coming, so you’re definitely in for a shocking read, with plenty to keep you gripped along the way.

This was a very interesting story. Amelia and Adam win a competition for a weekend in a remote part of Scotland and believe it will heal their marriage.
The story is spit into his and her stories and letters written at each wedding anniversary.
The story is creepy and I did not see the one plot device coming.

This book had me hooked from the first page. Lots of twist and turn right up to the end. I fell in love the couple and could understand where they are coming from within their marriage to each other . Great read will be recommending it to my friends 👍🏻😁📚

Rock Paper Scissors is an exceptional book. Very clever, intricate plot building with well described characters and locations. I was absolutely hooked from the first to the last page.

Adam and Amelia are a married couple who share their lives with us through his narration and annual letters his wife writes to him, though they never are given to him. Adam suffers from face blindness, he cannot see his wife or anyone including himself however he fees he can see inside people to tell whether they are good or not. Amelia works at Battersea Dogs Home and wins a weekend away for them at a remote Scottish lodge. She is delighted as their marriage has needed some counselling; could this be the very thing?

Cue completely spooky description of the place, including snow, power cuts and a possible mad woman living nearby. The horror ramps up and the author leads you to what I felt was a climatic and completely unexpected twist at the end which was brilliant writing and I was totally blindsided by it.

Well deserved 5 stars for this and thoroughly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great read and every bit as good as His & Hers.
This book definitely keeps you guessing and twists you backwards and forwards. Great read

How do you begin to save a marriage that’s in dire straits? Book a make or break weekend away in the remote Scottish Highlands in snowy February and travel via car, cooped up in a confined space in which the atmosphere is stifling and you could cut the tension with a knife. That’s Amelia Wright’s answer to the difficulties she and her husband Adam, a successful screenwriter, are facing. Converted Blackwater chapel perched on the side of a loch is to be their temporary home along with beloved labrador Bob but what sounds like a ideal way to escape the city and all life’s usual
obligations instantaneously descends into scenes reminiscent of a horror movie.

There’s so many positives to this thriller it’s hard to know where to start! Let me begin by saying I love Alice Feeney novels. I need not bother with reading a synopsis because the mere mention that she has a new book published has me chomping at the bit to get my hands on a copy. Rock Paper Scissors didn’t just live up to my expectations it surpassed them. I have to take my hat off to this author. She’s really bought her A game to the table on this occasion and on the off chance this is the first book you’ve come across from this talented writer then you’re in for a treat, a masterclass in “how to” write a twisty, jaw droppingly suspenseful thriller that will keep you reading into the wee small hours!

When thrillers are this exceptional the least said about the plot the better. I think “go in blind” is the phrase often bandied about, (somewhat ironic given that Adam suffers from prosopagnosia or face blindness in layman’s terms) but this is what I personally chose to do. Alice Feeney’s choice of location is spot on. I’m in total agreement with the author that the Scottish Highlands are such a beautiful part of the world. Where better to set a sinister, creepy thriller than somewhere this remote, almost completely cut off from the rest of civilisation with a snowstorm blowing in, the terrain wild and unforgiving? What were they thinking visiting such a desolate place mid winter?? Add in the dark history surrounding this converted chapel, with women and children believed to be witches chained to the crypt walls, a space that now serves as a wine cellar, plus the crumbling bell tower, locked rooms and power failures, and you can’t imagine this weekend being relaxing or rejuvenating in the slightest. Instead this couple are trapped in a waking nightmare, Adam even more so since his mind is constantly plagued by night terrors, vivid flashbacks to one night in his childhood that takes on huge significance much later on. I love how the writing conjures up an intense feeling of claustrophobia despite the fact Adam and Amelia’s change of scenery has led them to an area known for its sparsely populated immensely wide open spaces. The only real given is that Adam and Amelia’s marriage is on the rocks, the tension between them tangible, the secrets they withhold from one another implicit in their conversations during the long, arduous car journey from London. The reader quickly learns they are in the company of consummate liars, people adept at covering their tracks. Everything they divulge is open to interpretation and it’s down to you to sift out the grains of truth. Not easy! I love dark complex characters, they make the best protagonists and Adam’s condition allows the author free rein to explore the multitude of ways this could impact on the plot overall. Be prepared to expect the unexpected! As the perspective on their marriage and the lives they lead alternates between the two it’s fair to say Adam and Amelia are two unhappy, troubled individuals! One of my favourite elements of this thriller (although it’s hard to pick out just one!) are the letters written to Adam every anniversary from his wife, letters he’s never in receipt of but which in their outpouring of thoughts and feelings are most revealing. In keeping with the literary theme that runs throughout the narrative, each letter reveals the couple’s ‘word of the year’, some of which will be familiar, others maybe less so.

This thriller becomes darker, creepier and more twisty with every turn of the page. Alice Feeney had me hanging off her every word. I love it when an author convinces you to “look over there” whilst they are busy laying out the truth right in front of you! Her use of misdirection is masterful; I could only marvel at her cleverness and gasp at my own stupidity. The twists are simply sublime. Taking an innocent childhood game, a game which is relevant to Adam and his wife’s history together, and twisting it out of shape to become deliciously ominous and terrifying is the cherry on top of the cake. These three words, rock, paper, scissors take on a whole new meaning by the ending which frankly blew me away!

Clearly I’ve loved every minute of Rock Paper Scissors so I will be shouting excitedly to all my friends and fellow book lovers to either put this in their shopping basket, add it to their TBR mountain, or download a digital copy or audio version. Few novels warrant the label “unputdownable”. This is the exception. Superb storytelling means that Alice Feeney wins 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️from this happy reader.

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might just be what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can't recognise friends or family, or even his own wife. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage.

The story is told from Adam, Amelia and a person called "the wife" perspectives. The story starts of slowly but it quickly picks up it's pace along the way, There is a few subplots interspersed into the main story which only heightened the suspense. Set in the Highlands of Scotland, and the dark and dismal weather made this quite an atmospheric read. Filled with lots of twists, this is a most enjoyable read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #AliceFeeney for my ARC of #RockPaperScissors in exchange for an honest review.

Another good book by Alice Feeney. I found this to be a well written book with a slow start. It soon built up the atmosphere and boom! there it was, totally unexpected. Thank you for totally blindsiding me again….I love reading your books!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Adam and his wife Amelia are traveling from London to Scottland in Amelia’s old car during a snow storm. She won this weekend trip and thought it would be a good idea for them to work on their relationship. But when they arrive at this eerie Lake with its old Chapel redefined as a house, strange things begin to happen. It seems that Adam and Amelia are hiding something from each other and both have their own thoughts about how this weekend is going to turn out.

This was my first book from Alice Feeny. After reading the first chapters I was impressed by her writing style. I never highlighted so many sentences in a kindle book before. But as much as I am in awe of her talent I was soon a bit bored by the story. There are a lot of books out there about couples and their domestic dramas. This one has a unique setting (the cold winter night in this creepy chapel/house with a lot of weird things happening) but it jumps a bit too much back and forth. But as creepy as the setting is I was somehow bored and found that nothing substantial was happening. There was just a bit of a cat and mouse game but it failed to intrigue me. I could easily put the book down and I never felt the urge to go back to it. So I was not really into the story and did not expect much. Therefore the twist(s) came as a surprise to me and made me realize that I was not very concentrated while reading it because in hindsight there were a lot of clues. So at least I was hooked for the ending.

I loved the writing but the story was more of an OK read for me until the end. I loved the first twist, maybe even the second one but then it was a bit too much. It is a highly fictional story with unique but also weird characters. I found it interesting to read about someone with face blindness and what kind of problems they bring to your daily life. I never thought about that. I was a bit bored in the middle because there is not much happening and I found it sometimes confusing. Of course, when you have that kind of twist you somehow have to write around it so that it can work. That sometimes leads to some affected situations where you ask yourself why on earth the author tells it in such a weird way.

While the writing is a 5 Star for me, the story is just a 3 Star rating. So I end up with 4 Stars. But I think I will read another book from the author, just to read her phrasing again.

Twisty and twisted, deeply delicious and darkly disturbing, this is a roller coaster of a read.
With a well considered plot, great characters and wonderfully descriptive writing this book is a winner.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Rock Paper Scissors but that has in no way influenced my review.

I just couldn't resist. If you've read a novel by Alice Feeney before then you'll just know. If you haven't read anything by her yet then you've gotta get that sorted. Alice Feeney is an utter genius when it comes to the killer twist and every book I've read by this author, I've thoroughly enjoyed. A beautiful blend of domestic drama and psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Amelia and Adam Wright are heading north to the Scottish Highlands for a romantic weekend away with their aging pup, Bob. There's a lot riding on the weekend. Both sides have their secrets. Both sides have a hidden agenda. On arrival at their destination, a converted and isolated chapel, the place is eerily quiet. Something about the building doesn't feel right. Before long, strange things start to happen. Tension between the couple increases, what little trust they have between them crumbles. Because the truth is out to make them pay...

Rock Paper Scissors is an eminently readable and highly absorbing book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I do love a secluded, snowy setting and the author gave me chills with her spooky isolated chapel on the banks of a loch. The characters' desperate and rapidly increasing need to escape the chapel was marvellous and really added to the fear factor. Amelia and Adam are brilliantly written. Adam is instantly unlikable as he has a bit of a superiority complex believing himself to be cleverer of the couple. I couldn't make my mind up about Amelia. I felt sorry for her at times for having to put up with her obnoxious and self-important husband, but my feelings towards her seemed to change quite dramatically as I progressed through the story.

The reader gets to hear from both Adam and Amelia as their situation spirals out of control. We also get a glimpse into the past in the form of private letters written to Adam every anniversary along with their gifts to each other (using the traditional markers for wedding anniversaries: paper, cotton, leather etc). Initially rosy, things start to decline as the years progress. Taking us up to the present day in all its shocking glory!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Rock Paper Scissors is a twisty, thrilling read which had me gripped from the start. Feeney has done it again and produced another very compulsive novel where she successfully pulls the wool over her reader's eyes. And damn, she does it with such style! If you're a fan of the psychological thriller you need to add Alice Feeney to your 'must read' list. You won't regret it! Deliciously devious and a proper page-turner. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Rock Paper Scissors. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

This was absolutely brilliant! Adam and Amelia are going for a weekend break at a remote house in the Scottish highlands in the middle of a blinding snowstorm. From the outset we know both of them have different motivations for the weekend but we have no idea what a twisty ride we are in for! Full of gothic horror and creepy goings on, you literally could not guess what direction this book is headed in. Some massive surprises and some ghastly characters, this is all you could ask for in a domestic suspense thriller. Just brilliant.

I enjoyed this book. I was curious from the start as to what would happen during the weekend away. I thought the story was well written, and I enjoyed the majority of the plot but was slightly disappointed by the ending. it seemed to stop abruptly, which was a bit of a shame as the rest was so good. it doesn't stop me recommending it though, and I am glad I got the chance to read it. Thank you #net galley.